About Peter Young

Peter Young (b. 1963) is a British Oil Painter, living and working as an artist in Norfolk, United Kingdom.

‘My aim is to paint the play of light across a scene, that illuminates it, reveals its form, then fades into a soft shadow.’

Artist’s Personal Statement

I aim to create oil paintings that have beauty and a sense of mystery, appealing to the viewer’s emotion, whilst keeping the interest in the picture frame, moving from one area to another. The viewer’s eye may be guided along a predetermined path created by ‘bridges’ between areas of interest using colour, tonal variation, paint opacity, and edge control.

Why I paint with Oils

I’m interested in the oil painting techniques and the range of effects that can be achieved. From subtle transitions in hue, tone and opacity created using thin glazing layers, to the other extreme of bold lumps of impasto. Oil painting techniques are varied, and have a rich history of development and mastery that can be used as reference.

I enjoy solving painting challenges using technique or process. For example…

• How to make an illuminated area appear to look brighter than the surrounding area, so it glows.
• Using reflective under layers of paint to achieve an inner glow in a segment of an orange.
• Controlling how the light varies across an object or scene, by altering the colour’s saturation, temperature and opacity from the lit to shadow side.

Many of my paintings are Still Life settings of objects I find in my house, such as pottery, fruit, pieces of folded fabric. These are props where I can study how the light plays over the scene. I don’t intend to reproduce this exact visual image as in a photograph. I will choose where the focal point will be, how I will lead the viewer’s eye across the painting, which bits to accentuate and other parts to diminish. There are many ways in which I could interpret the scene, but my overriding goal is to create a painting which has mood and atmosphere.

Working as an Artist

Daily Painting…

A lot can be learnt from the daily exercise of creating a small painting.   Perhaps an experiment in a technique, new subject matter, or planning for a larger painting.  Every small painting has a purpose other than the image it portrays.  The small paintings have other benefits in that they store away easily, and can be auctioned online to generate a bit of income.

Framing…

I frame my own larger paintings as I’ve found this produces a more suitable finish to complement the painting.  The frames are made from bare wood mouldings, that I cut, join and paint myself.   This resolves many issues that are often seen with commercially manufactured frames, where the frame decoration competes for attention with the painting.    The frame needs to enhance an image, provide an area of focus, protect the painting from damage and contribute to the decor of the room.

Selling Paintings

I enjoy selling my paintings at local craft fairs.   This is an ideal opportunity to meet prospective customers and talk about my art and painting techniques.  I prefer to sell directly to buyers, rather than indirectly via galleries and shops.

An interesting method of selling is via online auctions, as this provides useful feedback as to the popularity of different styles of painting.  The paintings are for sale as unframed art, to reduce the weight of postage, but also enable the customer to select their own preferred style of frame to suit their home’s decor.